How safe are dental x rays? - Dr. Shyam Padmanabhan

In today’s digital world we are constantly exposed to all sorts of radiation. Of great concern is its potential to damage body cells and tissue and cause cancer. The X-rays predominantly taken for dental diagnosis are orthopantamograms or OPGs, lateral cephalograms, occlusal radiographs, Intra Oral Periapical Radiographs or IOPAs i.e. the small X-rays that you see in your regular dental clinic including the conventional and the digital types and lately because of the introduction of the implants in dental practice the patients are also subjected to Cone Beam Computerized Tomography or CBCTs. Fortunately the radiations that you are exposed to during the taking of these small radiographs or IOPA X-rays are extremely small. Moreover X-ray machines are checked, calibrated and certified to minimise unwanted radiation. Improvements in cone collimation, film speed and introduction of advanced digital radiographs such as the popular radiovisuographs or RVGs have also contributed to the cause. If you were to compare iopas and chest x-rays the amount of radiation of one chest x-ray is compared to multiple iopas. Moreover in certain situations thyroid collars and lead aprons are also used to prevent scattered radiation.